Marine mooring device



P 1965 c. GRIMES 3,177,838

MARINE MOORING DEVICE Filed Sept. 19, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 CHARLESGRIMES INVENTOR.

BYZI QJ Q MARINE MOORING DEVICE Filed Sept. 19, 1963 2 Sheets-SheetCHARLES GRlMES INVENTOR United States inc 3,177,838 MAW MQORING DEVIGE(Iharles Grimes, Fort Lauderdale, Fla, assignor of twentyfive percenteach to Cornelius Bregoif, Staten Island, N.Y., Donald L. Bregoif andJohn J. Byrne, both of Fort Lauderdale, Fla, and Thomas P. Petrovich,Hollywood, Fla.

Fiied Sept. 19, 1963, Ser. No. 310,099 Claims. (Cl. 114230) Thisinvention relates in general to a marine mooring device and in moreparticularity to a mooring device for small boats.

It is a primary object of the invention to provide a mooring device forfastening a boat to a stationary structure which will maintain a spacedrelationship between the boat and said stationary structure at alltimes.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a mooringdevice which will permit movement of the boat in any direction inrelationship to the pier or stationary structure and still maintain aspaced relationship therefrom.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a mooring devicewhich is adjustable to accommodate different sizes of boats and is alsoadjustable in regard to the distance the boat is desired to be held awayfrom the stationary structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel mooring means foruse with small boats which is quickly and easily attached to thestationary structure and also quickly and easily attached to the boatitself.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and novel mooringdevice which will permit a small boat to ride out a severe storm withoutdamage to either the boat or to the structure to which it is moored.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a mooring devicewhich is strong and durable yet simple in construction and relativelysimple to manufacture.

Further objects, advantages, uses, and adaptations of the invention willbe apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of one of the new and novel mooring devicesattached to the front of a boat and one attached to the rear thereof;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of the means used for anchoring themooring device to the dock or other stationary structure;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged plan view of the mooring device; 7

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional View of the device taken substantially onthe lines 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, a boat 10 is shown as being moored to a dock11. The mooring device is attached to dock 11 by means of anchor members12 and fastened to the boat by means of snap rings 30 attached to rings13 located on the boat itself.

Although rings 13 are shown here as attached to the side of the boatthey'may be placed on the deck of the boat if desired. Likewise, theymay be placed at any location along the longitudinal dimension of theboat as desired.

Also attached to dock 11 are cleats 15 to which ropes or lines 14 areattached. Ropes 14 are each attached to each of the mooring devices bymeans of eyes 16 provided therefor.

Use of ropes 14 can best be illustrated in this figure.

When the boat 10 has been brought up alongside dock 11 and each or" themooring devices attached to the boat by rings 13, ropes 14- are thenfastened around each of cleats l5 and drawn taut. With each of them inthis position it will prevent any significant longitudinal motion of theboat 10 in relationship to dock 11. Boat 19 may not move forward sincerope 14 attached to the front mooring device will resist any force inthat direction; it may not move rearward since rope 14 attached to therear mooring device will resist any force in a rearwardly direction.

Although cleats 15 are shown here as being located between the anchoringmembers 12, they may, if desired, be located outwardly in relationshipto the members 12. If each of cleats 15 are located on the sides ofanchoring members 12 opposite to that shown in this figure the sameresistance to forward and rearward motion will be accomplished.

FIGURE 2 details the construction of anchoring member 12 and itsrelationship to the other elements of the mooring device. As shown here,it consists of a stem 20 which is shaped to fit into a socket or a plainhole in the dock 11. Stem 20 is round in shape so as to permit rotation,of the mooring device within the socket.

Referring back to FIGURE 1, due to the stem 20 fitting into a socket orhole in deck 11 the mooring device is permitted to move to the right orto the left in this figure and even permits the device to be rotated369". An advantage of this is that it may be rotated in a horizontalplane to move it out of the way when not being used to hold a boat.

A further advantage of the stem and socket arrangement is that itpermits quick and easy attachment of the device to dock H. In mooring aboat the mooring devices may just be placed into the sockets veryspeedily and the devices are ready for attachment to the boat.

Going back to FIGURE 2, anchor member 12 is shown as bifurcated witharms 21 and 22 being connected by top piece 23. The reason for thebifurcation is to provide a sturdy means for attaching the telescopingportion of the mooring device to the anchor member.

The mooring device is provided with a T shaped member 25 which is usedfor attaching anchor member 12 to member 27. The T member 25 is providedwith rotatable arms 24 which extend through arms 21 and 22 and aresecured by fasteners 26. The fit between arms 24 and members 21 and 22is such that T member 25 is easily rotatable. Top member 23 is providedwith an aperture 19 to which one end of spring 17 is attached. The otherend of spring member 17 is attached to an eye 18 provided in member 27.

T member 25 is fastened to member 27 by means of fasteners 42.

Anchor 2%, T member 25, and spring 17 provide for vertical motion of theboat in the water. As shown in FIGURE 4, if a boat attached to the snapring 30 moves upwardly, the mooring device itself moves upwardly. Sinceanchor 12 is fastened by means of stem 2% to dock 11, upward motion ofthe boat will cause T member 25 to pivot around arms 24 in anchor member12.

When the boat moves downwardly, the T member will pivot downwardly andstill hold the boat in a spaced relationship to the dock without damageto either boat or deck. Tides may rise and fall and the mooring devicepermits the boat to rise and fall therewith.

The primary function of spring 17 is to lift member 27 into asubstantially vertical position when the snap ring -scoping sections,27, 28, and 29. Attached to the outer end of section-29 is snap ring 30for fastening to rings 13 as explained previously.

Attached to the opposite end of section 29 is piston 39 which is locatedinside section 28. Between piston 39 and the end seal 38 of member 23 isspring member 41.

'Section 29 is slidably positioned in end seal 38 so as to 1 permitlongitudinal movement in relation thereto.

Section 28 is telescoped into section 27 and the two sections arefastened together by means of fastener 31 extending through hole 33 ofmember 27 and through a hole provided in section 28. Section 27 isprovided with a plurality of holes 32, 33, 34, 35, and 36 so as toprovide a different spacing relationship between members 27 and 23.

This provides for adjustability of the distance the boat 1t) is heldaway from the dock 11. If it is desired that it be fairly close to thedock then fastener 31 will be placed in hole 32 and then through thehole provided in section 28. If it isdesired that it be far away fromthe dock the fastener 31 is removed from hole 32, member 28 is pulledoutwardly from member 27 until the hole in the end of 28 is aligned withthe hole 36, then the fastener 31 is inserted therein.

Near the end of section 28 in which the fastener 31 is inserted, plug 37is located. It is stationarily fixed in relation-to section 28. Betweenplug 37 and the end of piston 39 is spring 40 which along with spring 41holds piston 39 in a spaced relationship with the ends of cylinder 23.

As shown in FIGURE 4 if member 29 is pushed to the left piston 3? willalso move to the left but such movement will be resisted by spring 40. imoved to the right piston 39 will also move to the right but suchmovement will be resisted by spring 41. V

The purpose .of this spring and cylinder arrangement If section 29 is isto permit a cushioned lateral movement of the boat toward and away fromthe dock.

If no cushioning arrangement is provided and the boat is moved by someoutside force-toward the clock a solid mooring device will provide aresistive force which is likely to cause damage to theboat or tothedevice. With my device the resistive force, due to the cushioning effectof the springs is passive for a short period of time until the force ofthe boats movement is overcome. A small amount of lateral motion ispermitted by the spring and cylinder arrangement.

From the preceding description it will be seen that I have provided anew and novel mooring device which will 1 control movement of the boatin any direction. The ropes 14, cleats l5, and socketed stem 20 controllongitudinal movement of the boat; springs 40, 41, and cylinder 39control the lateral movement of the boat; T member 25 pivotallyconnected to anchor 12 controls vertical movement. Adjustment of theamount of space between the "boat and the dock is provided by pin31 andholes 32,

33, 34, 35, and 36.

My invention has been shown and described in a single embodiment in theforegoing specification. It is to be understood that it is not intendedtobe exhaustive nor limiting of the invention, but on the contrary, isgiven for purposes of illustration in order that others skilled in theart may fully understand the invention and the principles thereof andthe manner of applying it in practical use so that they may modify andadapt it in various forms,

each as may be best suited to the conditions of a particular use, andstill be within the scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A mooring device for securing a boat to a stationary structurecomprising (a) a stem portion for rotatable insertion into a socket onthe stationary structure,

(b) an elongated body portion pivotally connected to said stem portion,

(0) said elongated body comprising a first hollow section,

(d) a plurality of longitudinally aligned holes on each side of saidfirst hollow section,

(e) a second hollow section slidably adjustable within said first hollowsection,

(1) a hole located near the inner end of said second hollow section foralignment with a selected hole of the plurality of holes in said firstsection,

g) a fastening pin extending through one set of the holes in said firsthollow section and also through the hole in said second hollow section,

(h) a third section slidably positioned within said second hollowsection,

(i)- said third section having a piston on one end f thereof,

(j) a spring positioned between said piston and the end of said secondsection,

(k) a second spring positioned between said piston and the other end ofsaid second section,

(I) said third body section extending beyond the second hollow section,and

(m) a fastener on the end of said third body section for fastening to aboat.

2. A mooring device for securing a boat to a stationary structure asrecited in claim l with the additional features of (n) a line attachedto the end of said body portion near said fastener, and

(0) the other end of said line adapted to be attached to the stationarystructure.

3. A mooring device for securing a boat to a stationary structurecomprising (a) a fastener for rotatably fastening one end of the devicetothe stationary structure,

(b) an elongated body portion pivotally connected to said fastener,

(c) said elongated body comprisinga first hollow section,

(d) a plurality of longitudinally aligned holes on each side of saidfirst hollow section,

(e) a second hollow section slidably adjustable within said first'hollowsection,

(I) a hole located near the inner end of said second hollow section foralignment with a selected hole of the plurality of holes in said firstsection,

(g) a fastening pin extending through one set of the holes in said firsthollow section and also through the hole in said second hollow section,

(It) a third section slidablypositioned within said second hollowsection,

(i) said third section having a piston on one end there- (j) a springpositioned between said piston and the end of said second section,

(k) a second spring positioned between said piston and the other end ofsaid second section,

(I) said third body section extending beyond the second hollow section,and

(m) a fastener on the end of said third body section for fastening to aboat.

4. A mooring device for securing a boat to a stationary structure asrecited in claim 3 with the additional features (n) a line attached tothe end of said body portion near said fastener, and

(0) the other end of said line adapted to be attached to the stationarystructure.

5. A mooring device for securing a boat to a stationary structure asrecited in claim 3 with the additional feature of (n) retracting meanswith one end connected to said elongated body section and the oppositeend adapted to be connected to a stationary member.

6 References fitted by the Examiner UNETED STATES PATENTS 4/ 14Steinhauer 114-230 2/49 Sterling 926 6/53 Coifing 114 -230 X 2/62 Woods114-230 1/63 Kulick 114230 7/63 Dick 114--230 MIDDLETON, PrimaryExaminer.

10 FERGUS S.

1. A MOORING DEVICE FOR SECURING A BOAT TO A STATIONARY STRUCTURECOMPRISING (A) A STEM PORTION FOR ROTATABLE INSERTION INTO A SOCKET ONTHE STATIONARY STRUCTURE, (B) AN ELONGATED BODY PORTION PIVOTALLYCONNECTED TO SAID STEM PORTION, (C) SAID ELONGATED BODY COMPRISING AFIRST HOLLOW SECTION, (D) A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINALLY ALIGNED HOLES ONEACH SIDE OF SAID FIRST HOLLOW SECTION, (E) A SECOND HOLLOW SECTIONSLIDABLY ADJUSTABLE WITHIN SAID FIRST HOLLOW SECTION, (F) A HOLE LOCATEDNEAR THE INNER END OF SAID SECOND HOLLOW SECTION FOR ALIGNMENT WITH ASELECTED HOLE OF THE PLURALITY OF HOLES IN SAID FIRST SECTION, (G) AFASTENING PIN EXTENDING THROUGH ONE SET OF THE HOLES IN SAID FIRSTHOLLOW SECTION AND ALSO THROUGH THE HOLE IN SAID SECOND HOLLOW SECTION,(H) A THIRD SECTION SLIDABLY POSITIONED WITHIN SAID SECOND HOLLOWSECTION, (I) SAID THIRD SECTION HAVING A PORTION ON ONE END THEREOF, (J)A SPRING POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID PISTON AND THE END OF SAID SECONDSECTION, (K) A SECOND SPRING POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID PISTON AND THEOTHER END OF SAID SECOND SECTION, (L) SAID THIRD BODY SECTION EXTENDINGBEYOND THE SECOND HOLLOW SECTION, AND (M) A FASTENER ON THE END OF SAIDTHIRD BODY SECTION FOR FASTENING TO A BOAT.